John 13:16
New International Version
Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

New Living Translation
I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message.

English Standard Version
Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Berean Standard Bible
Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

Berean Literal Bible
Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one having sent him.

King James Bible
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

New King James Version
Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

New American Standard Bible
Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

NASB 1995
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

NASB 1977
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

Amplified Bible
I assure you and most solemnly say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

Christian Standard Bible
“Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“I assure you: A slave is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him.

American Standard Version
Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“Timeless truth I speak to you: there is no servant greater than his master and no apostle is greater than he who sent him.”

Contemporary English Version
I tell you for certain that servants are not greater than their master, and messengers are not greater than the one who sent them.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Amen, amen I say to you: The servant is not greater than his lord; neither is the apostle greater than he that sent him.

English Revised Version
Verily, verily, I say unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I can guarantee this truth: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them.

Good News Translation
I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them.

International Standard Version
Truly, I tell all of you emphatically, a servant isn't greater than his master, and a messenger isn't greater than the one who sent him.

Literal Standard Version
truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor an apostle greater than he who sent him;

Majority Standard Bible
Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

New American Bible
Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.

NET Bible
I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

New Revised Standard Version
Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.

New Heart English Bible
Truly, truly, I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Verily, verily, I say to you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Weymouth New Testament
In most solemn truth I tell you that a servant is not superior to his master, nor is a messenger superior to him who sent him.

World English Bible
Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

Young's Literal Translation
verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor an apostle greater than he who sent him;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
15I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. 16Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.…

Cross References
Matthew 10:24
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

Luke 6:40
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

John 15:20
Remember the word that I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

2 Corinthians 8:23
As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you. As for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, to the glory of Christ.

Philippians 2:25
But I thought it necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my needs.


Treasury of Scripture

Truly, truly, I say to you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

Verily.

John 3:3,5
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…

The servant.

John 15:20
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Matthew 10:24,25
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord…

Luke 6:40
The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

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Apostle Bondman Greater Master Messenger Servant Slave Solemn Superior Truth Verily
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Apostle Bondman Greater Master Messenger Servant Slave Solemn Superior Truth Verily
John 13
1. Jesus washes the disciples' feet, and exhorts them to humility and charity.
18. He foretells and discovers to John by a token, that Judas should betray him;
31. commands them to love one another;
36. and forewarns Peter of his denials.














(16) The servant is not greater than his lord.--These words have already occurred in the earlier Gospels in another connection. (Comp. Note on Matthew 10:24, and Luke 6:40.) They occur again in this Gospel in John 15:20.

Verse 16. - The Verily, verily reveals the solemnity with which our Lord touched the frequently quoted aphorism (Matthew 10:24; Luke 6:40; and again John 15:20). The servant - the slave - is not greater than his lord; you have already called me Lord, and so I am; neither is (one that is sent) an apostle greater than he that sent him on his great mission. Therefore if I, your Lord and Teacher, have set forth this principle of self-abnegating service, a fortiori should ye in love serve one another, the greatest should render even menial service to the humblest; he that would be first to him that is the last, and each to all. This is one of the essential marks, and ever will be, of the mind that was in Christ Jesus (comp. Matthew 10:23, 24, where an analogous phrase justifies the disciples in expecting and fleeing from persecution - a step in which they would simply be following their Lord's example; cf. a very different use of the proverb in Luke 6:40, where it is used to warn a blind man from assuming the office of a guide, and the resemblance of the character, etc., between the Teacher and disciple).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Truly,
ἀμὴν (amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's 281: Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.

truly,
ἀμὴν (amēn)
Hebrew Word
Strong's 281: Of Hebrew origin; properly, firm, i.e. trustworthy; adverbially, surely.

I tell
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

you,
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

no
οὐκ (ouk)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

servant
δοῦλος (doulos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1401: (a) (as adj.) enslaved, (b) (as noun) a (male) slave. From deo; a slave.

is
ἔστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

greater than
μείζων (meizōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

master,
κυρίου (kyriou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962: Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.

nor [is]
οὐδὲ (oude)
Conjunction
Strong's 3761: Neither, nor, not even, and not. From ou and de; not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.

a messenger
ἀπόστολος (apostolos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 652: From apostello; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ.

greater than
μείζων (meizōn)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular - Comparative
Strong's 3173: Large, great, in the widest sense.

the [one who]
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

sent
πέμψαντος (pempsantos)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3992: To send, transmit, permit to go, put forth.

him.
αὐτόν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: John 13:16 Most certainly I tell you a servant (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 13:15
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